Engineering and Workshop Hand Tools
Tested and Reviewed by Fred-in-the-shed
Updated 25th November 2008
Breaking news
Draper win Golden Shed Award for ratchet spanners
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Ratchet Spanners save time and effort These Draper expert spanners have a clever little ratchet mechanism built into the ring spanner end. This means that nuts can be moved very quickly with short movements of the spanner. At about £10 each they are not cheap but will save you so much time. If you are a pro this could mean bigger profits and certainly less effort. The only downside with ratchet spanners is that they will be less robust so don't use them for tightening or loosening really tough nuts- i.e not suitable for high torque situations. Approved by my testers at Oxford University Engineering and also BJ Autos - (Barry and Gary in the shed round the corner) Now available with pivoting heads |
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Hacksaw test - Fred finds the best
| The humble hacksaw is one of the most important tools
in any workshop. Even if you have all the latest expensive machinery
you will always need a hacksaw. The basic hacksaw is a simple and effective tool and its performance is mostly dependant on the quality and tension of the blade. The standard size for a hacksaw blade is 12 inches and they come in various teeth sizes to suit different materials.24 teeth per inch is the norm. Softer material like copper requires a coarser blades with less teeth, like 18 teeth per inch. Hard materials like stainless steel prefer 32 teeth per inch. |
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| I have used a bog standard Draper hacksaw for many
years and been quite happy with it. Recently hacksaw blade technology
has improved and a rash of new hacksaws have appeared with new
comfortable ergonomic handles and devices for increasing the tension
and angle with new super tough bi-metal blades. My friends at a prestigious engineering workshop have been comparing a range of old and new hacksaws for me and have been very impressed with the new models and the bi-metal blades. |
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| This is a Bahco 319 hacksaw fitted with a new bi-metal
blade. This hacksaw is very comfortable and has a concealed but easy
to use tensioner.
This is a no-frills mid range hacksaw suitable for DIY and professional use. buy the Bahco 319 advanced hacksaw here buy the best bi-metal hacksaw blades (3 blades -one of each tooth size) |
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| This is an even more basic Eclipse hacksaw similar to my trusty Draper hacksaw. These tools are good but are not as comfortable as the new tools and cant create the high tensions used by the amazing bi-metal blades. This basic type of hacksaw is ok for occasional use. |
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Dremel Pro for intricate polishing/cutting/grinding
| Dremel has been the market leader in powered
multi-tools for many years. To stay ahead of the game they have
released this new 10.8 volt cordless tool with the superior Lithium ion
battery. It comes with charger and accessories in a sturdy case and impressed me with it's power. I also tried a couple of the cheaper copies of this tool and always go back to my Drem due to the quality of the bits and its reliablitiy and level of control. This is one little tool every home or workshop should own.
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Dremel is made by Bosch of Germany Dremel 7800 multipro cordless Now with Lithium ION battery
buy any Dremel tool or accessory online
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Big Industrial wipes for equipment and hands
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If you work with any tools or equipment the chances
are that from time to time they (and you) will get covered in grease,
dust, paint and grime. These new wipes are impregnated with orange oil and will clean almost anything off of anything with a few firm wipes. I have tried many similar products and this is by far the best. Approx £6 for a box of 80 available in Halfords. Golden Shed award winner -best cleaning product e-mail fred@fredshed.com for details |
| Pictured left is "Dangerous" Dave Mountain, engineer
extraordinaire and Fredshed tester.
Dave and his buddies in the workshop were very impressed with these orange oil wipes and especially like the fact that they contain moisturisers that leave your hands baby soft and smelling of oranges. The wipes are also available in small handy packs of 20 to keep in your car or toolbox. I have used these wipes for cleaning the following with superb results ovens and kitchen appliances garden tools and equipment wheelchair wheels and frames removing paint from doors and windows
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Bosch IXO Battery Powered Cordless Screwdriver
Breaking news - April 2008 - IXO 3 now available
| I have tried dozens of cordless screwdrivers and this one is exceptional. It is so small and comfortable due to the use of small but powerful Lithium ion batteries (3.6v) This is a breakthrough in cordless tools and gave the Bosch IXO a Golden Shed Award. The Bosch IXO comes with a range of bits and a drop in charger. The drop in charger and small size of the tool make it ideal for workshop use. This tool is now being copied by many manufacturers. There is also a new version that does not have a drop in charger but extra bits instead After 4 years use I am still impressed with my Bosch IXO and the battery is still going strong. The Bosch IXO 2 has an LED torch built in which is especially useful for working in cupboards and lofts.
buy new IXO 3 with extra accessories
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Snap on Tools - best ratchet screwdriver Snap On are American made tools that are the most expensive and the most highly sought after workshop tools around. The "big deal" with Snap On is the lifetime warranty that persuades many auto mechanic to part with hideous amounts of money for tools. This excellent ratchet screwdriver is donkeys years old and belongs to my friend Leo. If it EVER broke Snap On would replace it.- without a quibble, and if you stamped your feet they might also give you a big girly kiss on the bottom! At £40 plus vat I would think so too! However, a SNAP-ON tool is more likely to get nicked than break so keep this in mind! Snap On tools ARE super duper quality but I think the prices can only be justified if you are seriously loaded or use the same tool all day - every day. The gear box boys at Renault Formula 1 Racing use many Snap On tools, but they also use other brands such as Wiha, Draper and Britool. When I visited the Renault Formula One workshops I was pleased to see that the technicians used tools from a wide range of companies including some old but now obsolete British tools. My tip for any young mechanic is to look around, don't follow the herd and buy EVERYTHING from "the man on the van". Tools like Draper Expert will probably last your working life and if they get nicked by some gippo you might be able to afford to replace them. Wiha tools from Germany are not as expensive and in my opinion equal in quality to any other brand.
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(now in black)
Classic Snap On combination spanner |
Best Quality Files - a workshop essential
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The engineering file is another essential tool for a
workshop and they come in a massive range of shapes, sizes and cutting
types. The main problem with files is that the wooden handles are often vibrated off over years of use and can become annoying or even dangerous. A new range of files is now available with top quality moulded soft touch handles that are comfortable and strong. I am currently testing these files to see how durable they are and will report my findings in due course. |
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After extensive use I can report that the new Bahco files with the soft touch handles are rally good and seem to be very durable. Files are one of those tools that require a lot of effort to use so you owe it to yourself to get the best. This set of 5 Bahco files covers most applications and have holes in the handles for easy hanging above your workbench. |
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Adjustable Spanner- with Quick slide adjustment
and battery powered Black & Decker Auto wrench
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The adjustable spanner is a plumbers favourite and an essential part of any workshops toolkit. (Though a well equipped workshop should not need them too much) Two new designs for quick adjustment are now available . One has a manual mechanism which requires you to push the jaws for rapid and accurate adjustment. It is a well made tool and does not slip. The Black & Decker Auto wrench is heavier and powered by 3 AAA batteries and can be operated quickly with one hand. The British designed Milligrip is lighter and is adjustable in 1mm increments which is ok unless you have a rounded off nut. An imperial sized version known as the Amerigrip will also available.
e-mail fred@fredshed.com for details
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The adjustable spanner is really a "bodgers tool" but we all need one occasionally when that special spanner goes walkies or we don't have a full set. (Are you one spanner short of a full set! )
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BJ Autos Headington Oxford
| Meet Brian and Gary, proprietors of BJ Autos, the
local garage I trust to look after my cars.
They have been in business at their Margaret Road workshop for over 20 years and have serviced and repaired all of my vehicles including a Subaru 4wd turbo, Toyota Supra, a Mercedes van and a VW Golf VR6 to name a few. They are honest, competent and are well equipped with everything including a star wars light sabre - BJ Autos- let the force be with you |
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BJ Autos 2 Margaret Rd Headington Tel 01865 762892 For mechanical repairs and servicing MOT testing. open Mon-Frid 8-6pm Sat 8-12 |
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Toughest and Best Simple Screwdriver If you need a screwdriver that you can abuse a bit, perhaps hit with a hammer now and again or use to lever off a clip - then look at this. This top quality screwdriver has all the features like soft grip, a nut on the shaft so you can put a spanner on it -AND best of all The shaft runs right through the tool and has a metal cap on the end. If you do need to give this screwdriver a bit of a tap with a hammer * it will not break or get mashed like most screwdrivers will. * within reason - this is not a cold chisel Available in all shapes and sizes e-mail fred@fredshed.com for details
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The best Allen keys (hex keys)
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buy the best Hex Keys as used by Fred see the widest range of Hex keys available online including single tools |
I use hex keys a lot and get well annoyed when I can't get enough purchase on the tool and end up skimming my knuckles. Another problem with many sets of keys is that they can be so hard to get out. These top quality German tools are amongst the best I have used but are pricey and can be hard to find. Best of all is the the large T grip tool also has a small hex key coming from the side of the handle for working in confined spaces. The best hex keys have a ball end so that you can even remove the bolts from an angle where access is restricted. If you want some decent Allen keys/hex keys at a reasonable price then click here for further details.
p.s Although not strictly correct I prefer to call these tools "Allen keys" Some people, (especially Americans and anal retentives call them "hex keys" - sounds a bit geekish to me, so I will stick to Allen Keys
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Best Socket sets
| Socket sets are essential if you work with a lot of
nuts and bolts. They compliment spanners (wrenches to Americans)
as they can fit onto nuts in deep and restricted places and have a
ratchet handle that speeds the job.
I have owned and used many socket sets. The CK Suredrive socket set is special as the ratchet handle has a locking mechanism to stop the sockets falling off. It is top quality and has a metal box so you can knock your ankle on it swear just like a real mechanic! This version has 18 sockets from 6-24 mm and cost approximately £60 |
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The socket set on the left belongs to my friend Ken
and has had decades of use. It still functions perfectly and Ken loves
it.
Made by Draper Tools the current equivalent is the Draper expert set, as recommended by Engineer Dangerous Dave Mountain. The new Draper Expert sets have the advantage of the Hi Torq system to grip your nuts just that little bit tighter. buy a Draper socket set that will last your lifetime
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Cheap Angle Grinders?
The best Angle grinder?
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| Though I am great lover of top quality innovative
products sometimes cheapo tools are more appropriate- (especially
when you're skint). For cutting and polishing metal or cutting stone
and slabs you can't beat an Angle Grinder. I bought this 580watt
tool for £10 in Woolworth's 5 years ago and can't believe how good
it is for small jobs. It also came with 2 discs (worth £5
at least) and spare motor brushes. This model was made by Powerdevil,
similar models can be found online from £15. Coming soon - New Innovation for Angle Grinders One common problem when using an angle grinder is run-on, this can be dangerous when you have finished your grinding and want to put down the tool. If the blade is still spinning it can jump around and cause an injury or damage to materials. The new Metabo angle grinder stops spinning almost immediately the switch is turned off and I will be testing and featuring this angle grinder soon.
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Best Pipe grips
| If you deal with large nuts and fittings in a wide range
of sizes the Pipe wrench is an essential tool.
Known as the Plumbers best friend ( sad but probably true) they can be a pain to use as many only have 5 or 6 settings which can be awkward to set , or they move after you have set them. No such thing with these funky pipe grips. They have a button (just under Bob's finger) that makes them quick and easy to set whilst staying in the correct position.
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Best Selling Tools on Test
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| The Black & Decker Mouse can be found in almost
every big store for around the £35. The attraction of this tool is
that it fits into the palm of your hand and has a pointy front to get
right into awkward places. Another advantage is that the triangular
abrasive pads are held on with Velcro and are easy to change. I love the Mouse and had a similar tool from B&D for many years. The Black & Decker mouse has attachments to reach into corners and the edges of doors and skirting boards. the latest version has gel inserts to reduce the effects of vibration. Another great feature is that you can attach the mouse to your vacuum cleaner hose and remove most of the dust as you work!. Replacement Velcro pads cost up to £6 for 5. buy the latest Black And Decker Gel tech Mouse sander
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The Scorpion is another widely publicized and
available tool- now available at under £70. It's 3 easy change blades do
the job of a wood saw, hacksaw and jigsaw. Only problem - the
Scorpion is a bit of a Porker at nearly 2kg, so unless you have a
lot of cutting to do it may be easier to use a hand tool.
The Scorpion performs the function of a jigsaw with the added bonus of being a powered handsaw. Ideal for DIY and great for people who don't have the strength and/or fine hand skills to use a handsaw.
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Tool Maintenance Time
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WD 40, 3 in 1 Oil and Teflon lubricants If you want your expensive tools to last longer and work efficiently then now is a particularly good time to give them a bit if TLC. I have used 3 in 1 oil to lubricate and WD40 to prevent rusting, since I was a child. The maker of these excellent products now have a new, 21st century lubricant that even beats 3 in 1 oil.
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| This superb new product comes in a handy spray can with a plastic straw applicator and the magic ingredient is PTFE , (Teflon to you and me). The advantage of 3 in 1 with PTFE is that it lubricates but has non stick properties that stop dirt particles combining with the lubricant. It also lasts and lubricates longer than normal 3 in 1 oil. (£2.99 per can) |
